Help! Should I keep dieting before bulk

Vix_2541

Hello everyone, my first post and I would like to ask for some advice.

I am a M and am 5ft 11 and I have a goal to reach 78kg with a BMI at around 15%. I have been losing weight since Jan 21 and have dropped from 95kg to 71.2 kg. According to a BMI calculator my BMI is approx 21%BF. I have done some research and it seems to suggest before bulking you should try and get to a BMI of around 15%, the issue is at 21% I think I am already starting to look quite thin and by my calculations a 15% BMI will take me down to Approx 64 kg. Should I continue to drop weight at 0.5 a week, or should I just start bulking now?

ninerbuff

When you have more muscle, it changes your BMI profile. At 190lbs for me at 5'7", I'm considered borderline obese. But if you look at my photos, you can definitely tell I'm not. Just eat a little over maintenance (like 200 calories) and then include a progressive lifting program.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

JBanx256

I think there's a bit of confusion here....

BMI is not an indicator of BF, and you can't simply calculate your BF%.

BMI is body mass index, which is just calculation based on height, weight, sex, etc. It tells you exactly zero about how much BF (body fat) you carry.

Your BF% as to actually be measured, and there are multiple (all less-than-accurate) ways to do so, including BIA (horribly inaccurate but for some people at least shows trends when used over time), DEXA, BodPod, Navy body fat calculator etc...but the only 100% accurate way to assess bodyfat is post mortem, on an autopsy table, so I don't think you're gonna go that route.

sijomial

There is a BMI calculator right here on MyFitnessPal (under apps tab).
This will be your BMI at 5'11" and 78kg (it's just a height weight ratio, not a percentage and can't define your body composition beyond the very generic fairly likely to be in a healthy range).



That will be your BMI at that weight whether you are lean and muscular or chubby and undertrained.

Advice is commonly to get bodyfat down to fairly low levels before bulking but it really depends on your priorities which only you know. What is more important to you right now? To get lean and have good definition or to get bigger and stronger?

A picture paints a thousand words TBH - if you want guidance a photo help enormously. One person's "looking thin" is another person's lean and mean!

Vix_2541

That for the reply’s, very much appreciated. I think I will raise my calories to just over maintenance and see how I get on!

Vix_2541

This is a recent pic - must admit there is a little bit of tensing going on, but would appreciate any gestimates of body fat percentage, I have tried to self guess but find img it difficult. I have kind of landed on 17-20%

Vix_2541

Don’t know how the other screen shot got added!!

Lietchi

You can edit recent posts (within the hour) Just click on the little cog on the right hand side, at the top of the message.

Vix_2541

Ha!! Awesome thanks for the info on that one !!

Gymladmatt

I would bulk mate. Seem lean to me but that’s just my opinion

sijomial

13 - 15% perhaps would be my guess.

As you are lighter than your end goal weight and fairly lean you should be fine to bulk.

(There's a guide to bulking in the Most Helpful Posts pinned to the top of this forum.)

cwolfman13

I would guess 12%ish.

Chieflrg

BMI is a screening tool & nothing else.

It isn't a end all if your overweight by any means or determines your body fat percentage.

Your somewhere around 12-13% from that photo if that really makes a difference. Perfectly fine to bulk with appropriate programming.

psuLemon

Have you considered doing a recomp?

Vix_2541

So I have heard of recomp but need to do some more research, I know there is some information in a few of the other posts within the app. If I understand it rightish… you keep up with your excercise in my case 5 days a week, but only eat to your maintainance cals. Pros= no bulk/ cutting cycles , cons = takes a long time to see results and as your not eating a surplus you won’t put on substantial size (if that’s the goal).. is that basically it?

sijomial

The "recomp takes a long time" thing needs unravelling.

e.g.
How far from your desired goal physique are you? (If it's to get a defined six pack you are very close, if it's to be big and lean you are a long way from that.)
How well do you respond to training stimulus?
Muscle gain after the first year of training is slow and gets harder so the the comparison might be between slow and slower not slow and fast.
Rate of muscle gain comparisons between bulking and maintaining are a bit false as you probably need to include the time spent cutting too.
Beware of taking projections from those that have achieved elite levels of physique or strength as what they need to do to progress after many years of training and near their genetic peak is very, very different to people starting out.
Many people don't bulk and cut well, get too fat, struggle to cut that fat or alternatively gain good muscle bulking but lose too much of it cutting.

Your decision really is influenced by both your goal physique and weight, if you want to be bigger/heavier you clearly need to eat over maintenance (but that doesn't have to be by a lot). Being pretty lean you simply don't have a lot of headroom to gain a lot of muscle (if that's your goal?) but on the other hand just small increase in muscle mass / reduction in fat mass will make a big visual difference in definition.

If you are unclear about your ultimate destination recomp (training well and keeping weight steady) is a great holding pattern. Nailing down your current maintenance calories is also useful whichever direction you decide to take.